DAMMAM: Nowadays in the Eastern Province you can see jujube fruit (kinar in Arabic) being sold on the street, in front of mosques, on the highway, in front of hospitals, and in evening markets. Every year from February to April is jujube season for the people of the Eastern Province. “It is sweet, delicious and fun. It's not just good to eat, but also high in vitamins. It is delicious and nutritious! Filled with vitamins and minerals,” Abu Khalid told Saudi Gazette. “I eat some every day during the season because it is good for the blood,” he added. Jujube fruit is now available in all the markets in the region – whether in small shops or in large hypermarkets. The immature fruit is green and resembles the consistency and taste of an apple, but as it matures, it darkens to red to purplish-black and becomes wrinkled, looking like a small date, which is why it is also sometimes call the Chinese date. Prices of jujube fruit are now between SR10 to SR15 per kilo. Last year, prices dropped to as low as SR5 per kilo, and in some instances, you could buy a kilo for only SR3. There are two varieties of the fruit: with seeds and seedless. Most people prefer the seedless variety which is more expensive. Ali Hassan from the Saihath area, a vendor in the Dammam municipal fruit and vegetable market, said that jujube is cultivated in Al-Hassa, Saihat, and Qatif. “Most customers prefer the fruit from Al-Hassa because it is sweeter and larger,” he said. Every day farmers from Al-Hassa, Qatif, Anak and Saihat bring ripe jujube early in the morning to sell in the markets and on the roadsides of Dammam in order to make some money during the winter season. Jujube fruit originated in China where it has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years. The fruit varies in shape from round to elongated and is the size of a cherry or plum depending on the variety.
